Just fixed my CD ERROR on '01 LX430!!

Woohoo! This website is awsome! I do all the maintenaince on my parent's Lexus' (LX430, and LS430). Lately my mom has been telling me that her CD player was not responding, and "CD ERROR" shows up. I browsed this forum and heard about the credit card w/ double side tape trick.

Basically I removed the entire radio unit (cake!) and removed the plastic face plate of the cd changer. (the main radio face must be removed in order to remove the cd changer face) Then cut a strip of plastic from a plastic package (vaccum molded packages)... I think it was for a hedge clipper... anyway... then stuck a piece of double sided tape.

I then used a small screwdriver to hold the flap open, and used the plastic strip to remove the jammed CDs. There were 4 inside the changer, and the lowest one was jammed, tilting all the cd trays to sit crooked.

After that, just reassembled everything and VOILA! Works perfect!
Seeing that this unit is going for $500 USED on ebay!... I'm so glad this was fixed... and for free! Only took about 45 mins (working real slow and chatting with parents )

Woohoo! This website is awsome! I do all the maintenaince on my parent's Lexus' (LX430, and LS430). Lately my mom has been telling me that her CD player was not responding, and "CD ERROR" shows up. I browsed this forum and heard about the credit card w/ double side tape trick.

Basically I removed the entire radio unit (cake!) and removed the plastic face plate of the cd changer. (the main radio face must be removed in order to remove the cd changer face) Then cut a strip of plastic from a plastic package (vaccum molded packages)... I think it was for a hedge clipper... anyway... then stuck a piece of double sided tape.

I then used a small screwdriver to hold the flap open, and used the plastic strip to remove the jammed CDs. There were 4 inside the changer, and the lowest one was jammed, tilting all the cd trays to sit crooked.

After that, just reassembled everything and VOILA! Works perfect!
Seeing that this unit is going for $500 USED on ebay!... I'm so glad this was fixed... and for free! Only took about 45 mins (working real slow and chatting with parents )

Joe - nice fix and nice save. Few things feel better than to getting something repaired by doing it yourself and saving some money doing it.

Rather than remove the springs as shown I removed the front piece (4 small screws) opening the area where the cds eject from. You will probably see 2 cds sitting together in the same tray apparently this is common fault . I lifted the offending CDs to the eject position with a flat head screwdriver and pulled them out using long nosed pliers. I then had to reposition and few guidance rods by the springs. Put it back together and it works perfectly. It's worth a try before laying out a load of cash its going to needs replacing anyway.